Netflix Approved Drone Vendor Los Angeles — Drone Tech Aerial

We did not apply to become a Netflix Approved Vendor. There is no application form. No submission portal. We got there the way most things in this business actually work: we did good work, we kept the right relationships, and when the time was right, we asked for a meeting.

Here is the actual story.

The First Netflix Show We Shot

The first Netflix production we ever worked on was The White Rabbit Project — built around the original Mythbusters cast. We flew a drone through a series of hoops inside a dark studio to simulate what a pigeon was doing on screen. We also coordinated in live airspace with a jetpack — two FAA-regulated unmanned aircraft operating simultaneously. That was a first for us.

The work went well. We delivered without drama. Netflix productions operate at a specific level and we matched it. That got us into their world for the first time.

The Show That Triggered Vendor Status

Living Undocumented Netflix — aerial cinematography by Drone Tech Aerial

The production that triggered the formal vendor approval process was Living Undocumented — a Netflix documentary about undocumented families facing deportation. This one required every vendor to go through Netflix’s internal approval process before shooting. We went through it. We got cleared. We shot the show.

The aerial work on that production was long, sweeping establishing oners — starting near satellite altitude and slowly sweeping down to the main character. One sequence was about ninety seconds: a baseball field, the subject walks out, throws a pitch. All of it shot in Southern California. The show ran. The footage held up.

How We Got on the Permanent List

After Living Undocumented, we wanted permanent vendor status — not show-by-show clearance, but being pre-approved for any Netflix production from that point forward.

We had a contact at Netflix. A senior editor we had worked with on a separate project — a political ad shoot that had nothing flashy about it. Just work. We did it well. We stayed in touch.

We reached out, asked if he could get us in front of the right people, and he did. We went to the Netflix corporate offices in Los Angeles and sat down with their department heads of safety. It was a conversation, not a pitch. They wanted to know our insurance structure, our on-set safety protocols, and how we run a production. We had everything documented and ready. The meeting went well. We came out of it as a Netflix Approved Vendor.

What the Approval Process Actually Covered

Insurance. Coverage amounts, what entities are named on the policy, and whether the structure is built for motion picture and television production specifically. A standard commercial drone policy is not the same thing.

Safety protocols. How we operate on a closed set, how we handle pre-flight checks, how we coordinate with other departments, what our emergency procedures look like. They were specific. So were we.

Track record. Years of operation, the productions we had already completed for Netflix, our FAA credentials, and our history of operating in Los Angeles airspace. The 12 years behind us mattered.

Why It Matters on Your Production

If you are building a vendor list for a Netflix production and your drone operator is not already on the approved list, they go through verification before they can work your show. That process takes time — sometimes more time than your pre-production window allows. Sometimes they do not clear it at all.

A pre-approved vendor shows up cleared. No open compliance questions. No calls between your coordinator and Netflix’s safety department. We arrive, we set up, we fly.

Netflix vendor approval is not something you can just apply for. The path in is through work and relationships. The barrier is intentional.

Scheduling a Netflix production in Los Angeles?

We are pre-approved. No verification delays, no compliance questions on shoot day. Call us to discuss your aerial requirements.

📞 310-748-9978

Or fill out the contact form. We respond the same day.


Drone Tech Aerial is a Netflix Approved Vendor based in Los Angeles. FAA Part 107 certified, active night flight waivers, FilmLA permitting handled in-house. Operational since 2014.